Maintenance. One thing that we reference quite frequently on our plumbing blog is plumbing maintenance and why it can be so key to getting the best return on your plumbing investment. After all, I’m going to guess that you would probably prefer to not use your hard-earned money on plumbing repairs around the house, right? No matter if that is in relation to the water heater, faucets, drain lines or anything else, it’s safe to say plumbing problems can quickly become a major headache! And while not all of these problems can be prevented and some of them are the result of gradual wear and tear, there’s no denying that regular plumbing maintenance can be extremely effective at keeping everything in working order and limiting the chances of plumbing issues arising!
Is this your first time visiting our plumbing blog? If so, welcome to Stine-Nichols Plumbing! We are a plumbing business located in North Kansas City, MO that provides plumbing services throughout the Kansas City area. Whether that be residential, commercial or new construction plumbing services, our team has always strived to be a one-stop shop for all things plumbing. Just as we discussed at the start of this blog post, plumbing maintenance is always an important item worth talking about in regards to properly maintaining one’s plumbing system. With this week’s blog post, we’re going to take that one step further and specifically talk about maintenance with faucets by highlighting what every homeowner and facility manager should keep in mind with faucet maintenance. Faucets are definitely a plumbing fixture that are used each and every day, so completing the right maintenance practices will help ensure the everyday wear and tear doesn’t take a serious toll on the faucets, thus leading them to break down quicker than normal!
What are the most important faucet maintenance tasks to complete?
Even though faucets receive quite a bit of regular usage, it is good to know that the maintenance is rather minimal. It’s worth mentioning though that it is also easy to procrastinate on these maintenance items as well! After all, as long as the faucets turn on and have hot water come out of them, should it really command your attention?
Clearing clogged aerators – One of the most important aspects of a faucet is the aerator. The aerator is located on the end of the faucet and is responsible for a few different things. First and foremost, it helps limit any splashing that may occur. This is definitely an important step! Secondly, a faucet aerator will ensure there is a steady flow of water too. In the event that the aerator happened to get clogged or have anything stuck in it, you can easily see how this would cause some problems! How can a faucet aerator get clogged? Well…an easy answer to that question would be hard water! Hard water can cause a number of possible issues and one of those is aerators getting clogged up. With the calcium deposits from hard water, the aerator can get clogged, thus restricting the water flow and even giving the impression of low water pressure.
That leads us into the question of figuring out how you can clear this clogged aerator! This is a faucet maintenance task that we recommend you add to your regular to-do list every now and then. When you see how easy it is to complete the aerator clearing process, you’ll definitely want to add this to your routine as it will both improve the faucet’s performance and get rid of that visible limescale. By immersing the faucet’s aerator in vinegar, you’ll be able to clear out those mineral deposits. After soaking it in the vinegar for a few hours, you’ll then take a toothpick and knock out any remaining deposits. Would you prefer to not mess with removing the aerator off the actual faucet? If so, consider filling up a bag with vinegar and then attach it to the faucet head with a rubber band securing it. Just remember that vinegar can be troublesome for certain faucet finishes! If you’re choosing to keep the aerator attached while cleaning, try to avoid having much of the vinegar hit the actual faucet itself and don’t leave it on there for a really long time. After the aerator has been cleared, make sure to clean the faucet adequately afterwards to avoid any adverse impacts to the faucet.
Regular cleaning – Believe it or not, one of the best faucet maintenance tasks that you can complete is simply going to involve regular cleaning. As we’ve mentioned many times before on past blog posts, faucets are a plumbing fixture that definitely experience their fair share of wear and tear. This is especially true in commercial settings where they’ll not only be used on a regular basis, but also it’s worth noting that not everyone is going to be real gentle with it. This is why you might consider either going with a hands-free faucet or even something that is a little more durable. Regardless, there are steps you can take to ensure you’re not repeatedly replacing broken-down faucets!
So…when we mention that regular cleaning is so important in terms of faucet maintenance, what are we referring to? As you can likely imagine, this can be summed up into two items: waterspots and fingerprints. While they might not be as unsightly as the mineral deposits referenced above, they can definitely have a negative effect on the faucet’s appearance. And while this certainly isn’t a plumbing emergency, it’s also something that most would prefer to just fix rather than let it sit filled with all of those blemishes.
It’s worth noting though that some finishes are more prone to waterspots/fingerprints appearing as well! For example, one of the most popular faucet finishes (chrome) tends to be more susceptible than some of the other finishes, like matte black. While the faucet’s finish will undoubtedly play a role in your purchasing decision, it’s also good to point out that the cleaning process with faucets is fairly straightforward and can easily be completed when cleaning the rest of the bathroom/kitchen. For most, a little soap and some water will do the trick. However, keep in mind that different finishes/materials/brands may have their own cleaning recommendations. Remember this and adjust accordingly!
Faucet Maintenance, Repair and Installation Services in Kansas City
As you can likely guess, faucet-related projects are something that our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing works on each and every week. It doesn’t matter if it is faucet maintenance, repairs or even new installations, we have you covered on all things faucets! As highlighted throughout this week’s blog post, maintenance is obviously an important aspect of managing one’s plumbing system and faucet maintenance is a part of that! Fortunately, maintaining the faucets in your home and/or commercial facility isn’t all that time-consuming, so it is certainly something that you’ll want to add onto your to-do list.
Do you live in or near the Kansas City area and need a go-to plumbing company that you can count on for everything from residential and commercial plumbing services to new construction projects? If so, we would be happy to help out! Feel free to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 to speak with a member of our team.